Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by emmasdad:

Poured from the bottle a dark reddish brown/nearly black color with a good brown head. Aromas of dark chocolate, earthy hops and roasted malt. On the palate, this one is medium bodied and rich, with flavors of roasted malt, dark chocolate and earthy hops. ™

More User Reviews:

22oz bottle. Pours a dark brown black with a big frothy light tan head that retains well and laces the glass.

The aroma is roasted malt, piney hops and a little fruit.

The flavor is sweet chocolate malts with a lot of bitter roast, some leather, and some piney hops. It's got a lot of bitterness that lingers in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, one of the best Black IPAs I've had. A lot of bitterness, but well balanced. Not too much char like a lot of Black IPAs.

Taste makes me realize this is more like a porter. The mouthfeel is pretty thick and sturdy, its moderately hoppy and bitter, there really isn't much in the way of citrus, pine or any other go to hop flavors. Now, its not like there is a ton of chocolate, but the dehusked black malt doesn't always get rid of everything you want it to.

Cool concept, don't know if there really is a category for this beer, I'd put in the American Porter category myself. Seems strong enough that a few of them would have you singin' and dancin' to the Toasters song "Dancin'" if ya feel me.

S - It's not very aromatic when it's freshly poured, but as it warms you get more of the sweet malts, little hop, maybe some burnt toast (Wonder Bread? - see the Brew Minions video for a laugh about the brew) on the nose.

T - Roasty and almost coffee malts with a pop of hops throughout the drink.

M - Medium with medium to lighter carbonation.

D - Overall, it's a cool one off beer (I assume since it was just brewed for the Toasters 30th anniversary). I've been drinking it up when I can find it.

Enjoyed @ the iTap House in Chesterfield, MO, during a "Kill the Keg" Event. Paid $12 to drink as many of this "Ska Shebeen Black IPA" as I could (will tell in my overall how many I ended up having...). Each one poured into a pint glass.

Appearance- Poured the Darkest Brown/Black you can ever get. Has less than half a Finger of head and leaves a stout-like lace behind (off white color).

Smell- No real standout attributes... Smells like it was brewed with a Dark Malt and almost no hops.

Taste- This Black Ale should actually be a Stout in style. Being more descriptive, its almost exactly like a Coffee Stout. Its extremely bitter and has the average amount of roasty notes to back up its strange style... Not sure but very nice!

Mouthfeel- Full Bodied, Carbonated appropriately (I would say here), and has a gritty base that gives it an interesting drink!

Overall- Glad to have tried this Black IPA but still not sure about its style... I was able to drink 4 pints of this and then I absolutely could not have any more. The ABV's sure had to be above 8% but it wasn't listed on the "Wall of Beers&ABV's" at the iTap because of the huge buzz I had going after these. I will be interested in trying another Black IPA and comparing all of its attributes with this one. Not bad for an Anniversary Ale.

22 oz bottle, poured into a Dogfish Head tulip. A thick and creamy tan head sticks to everything. Great lacing all up and down the glass. Body color is a pure black through the center with barely noticeable shades of brown around the edges. For all intents and purpose, it looks like a stout.

The smell is absolutely hop forward, but there are some dark roasted malts in there too. A slightly burnt toast (duh, Toasters) bitterness blends with the hops bitterness. The taste has a strong hop body as well. Maybe it's my eyes fooling me, but it reminds me of a super hopped up Boulevard Bully! Porter. Bully Porter is a hoppy porter anyways, and Toasters is as if a ton more hops was dropped into Bully.

Mouthfeel is a medium body, and the malt does create a nice chewy balance to the hops. It's not overly filling. I would want a little more than a 22 oz bottle, but I don't think I would need two bottles. One and a half would be perfect. I know this is a one off to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band, The Toasters, but I wouldn't mind seeing this year round.

The big dank flavor, like it was stewed in a mossy oak bucket, I would imagine. Near black color with not too much head. Adequately carbonated on the tongue. Really intense flavors, hard to pick them out. Harsh earthy hops hit the palate first. Very grainy, like burnt cereal. A caramel warmth lurking in the background. A little varnish or linseed oil in the nose. Spicy like curry.

The taste does settle down around the deep roasted malt with some hot hop licks. Grapefruit peel but offset by the warm malty tones. Bitter aftertaste. Picked this up in Denver in Dec.

Pours very dark and clean. Kind of cola looking around the edges. Off tan/brown head that did form to about 2 fingers. Lacing is splotchy.

Aroma has a blend of roasted malt and caramel with floral and piny hops thrown in. It's a bit chaotic and nothing stands out, which does keep one guessing.

Blindfolded I'd have a bit of trouble picking out this style. The hops are prevalent, but more so in the feel than flavor. While a good amount of floral is detected, it succumbs to the roasty side. Caramel, some cocoa and leather come through. Like the hops, they don't dominate. It seems there is a struggle for power here. Convoluted is a good term, methinks.

Still, the overall beer is quite good and drinkable. Hops and roastiness. Not a bad combo

A - Pours with a big tan foam that eventually settles to glass-coating lace. The body is a transparent, very dark, brown-red color that only reveals its true color when held to the light.

S - Not super hoppy. I can't remember when this was tapped at the Option, but I seem to remember it being on for a while. Some earthy floral character mixed with a hefty amount of cocoa and lightly charred malts. Somewhat understated.

T - Taste is heavy on bitterness, both the hoppy and espresso kinds. Very bready and roasty, with elements of chocolate and citrus hops as well. Better than the aroma.

M - Medium body, some light tingly carbonation, a bit gritty in the finish. Drinks more like a mid-level stout in terms of feel.

D - Surprisingly drinkable, other than the mounting bitterness. I think it may have been more interesting back in February, but it's one of Ska's stronger offerings.

22oz bottle $7.49. Dark black, tan head, standard appearance for the style, looks good. Smells roasty and a hint of hops, meh. Taste is bitter and then flavors of dark malts that really seem to clash. I'm not sure if I really don;t like this style or if few breweries do it well. I think Stone 11th, SSR, and 15th are all solid black IPA's.

Picked up a bottle at the local shop this afternoon. No date or stamp as far as I can tell. The label reads 1981 NYC SKA 2011 so it must be at least a couple months old? Poured to pint glass. The beer pours jet black with mahogany brown edges when held to light. 1 finger tan head. Good retention and lacing. The nose is mostly roasted barley with a nice addition of piney citrus hops. Semi sweet. The flavor starts with a sweet chocolate malt character. Medium bitterness. The piney earthy hops come and and create a well balanced beer. Medium bodied and creamy smooth. Overall, I am a sucker for a Black IPA or whatever you want to call them now. This is a good beer. I wish I could confirm it's freshness, I bet fresh the hops would pop. Still good.